XHIBIT: A Private Viewing by Rijul Narwal, (MA Social Innovation and Sustainable Futures student at London College of Communications and Post-Grad Ambassador)

Each year the Arts SU puts together the Xhibit, a platform for UAL students and alumni to showcase their work, gain exhibition exposure, network and get sales representation through the platform Made in Arts, London. This year marked the 25th edition of this unique development opportunity. 24 students were selected to showcase their work at the Koppel Project Gallery near Oxford Circus.

Audience in attendance at Xhibit private viewing — **Image: Rijul Narwal**

This year's exhibition was curated by Veronica Grazioli who worked closely with the artists. She views herself as a facilitator to help the narratives of the artists be put across to different publics. Her idea behind the curation for this year's exhibit was to pick on the cores present in each piece of art to weave ideas in the gallery space. This connected nature of the space also helps the natural flow of thoughts between artworks. This year the space picked on themes of a dying world, but also a hopeful one, intimacy and loneliness but also self-reflection and awareness, the weight of cultural heritage, visions for a dying world and a new world. When asked about her experience with the Xhibit, Veronica mentioned that her biggest learning was understanding how deeply young people feel.

Satirical Boris Johnson sculpture — **Image: Rijul Narwal; Artwork: Amelia Johnson**

Marina Tasca (MA Illustration student at Camberwell College of Arts)

(Instagram: @desenhodamarina)

Artwork of living organisms on a may poll — **Image: Rijul Narwal; Artwork: Marina Tasca**

Artists in front of her artwork — **Image: Rijul Narwall**

We often see different aspects of our life finding some sort of connection or link. Whether it's a routine visit to the corner store, the dog friends from the park or the noisy slushie machine you pass on the way to gym class. Everything is interlinked in a different way for everyone. Marina Tasca showcases exactly this in her CASS art award-winning exhibit called "The Living Wheel". She brings together different aspects of the time she spent in Switzerland. She picks on everyday things that brought her joy, like the cafe she and her friends used to hang out at, and shows them being interlinked in a delicately colourful visual representation that references a Brazilian dance form.

Elliott Roy (MA Fine Art student at Chelsea College of Arts)

(Instagram: @andrenostalghia, website: elliott-roy.com)

Painting of parent and child sat in a field — **Image: Rijul Narwal; Artwork: Elliot Roy**

Artists in front of his artwork — **Image: Rijul Narwal**

‘A Treasure and a Trap’ is a painting that targets some of the commonly carried out norms society poses on to the relationship between fathers and sons. Elliot refers to these norms as myths perhaps to highlight the absurd nature of these norms. While the painting might seem like him and his father at the first glance, a conversation with him will quickly reveal that that is not the case. His brush strokes take inspiration from the artist Gerhart Richter, to break free from the photorealistic ideas of painting.

Ken Nakajima (MA Performance Design & Practice at Central Saint Martins)

Website: nakajimaken.squarespace.com

Nisa Khan (MA Painting - Camberwell College of Arts)

(Instagram: nisakhanart, website: nisakhan.com)

Mujra is a dance form from South Asia, more often remembered from the Mughal times and by the beautiful female performers. This art form has been marginalized over time and performers are now shamed within the same society that they also fulfil needs of. They are often the object of ridicule and this shift has been a result of British colonialism. Nisa Khan packs a powerful punch with her exhibit - ‘From Rags to Bitches to Riches’ as she repositions Mujra in the context of British art to elevate the status of Mujra and its performers. She takes her inspiration from Sir Ochterlony who, on occasion, would parade his 13 wives on elephants through the city. She has courageously recreated 13 different pictures which are deemed vulgar by the eastern culture but not considered sexual by western culture.

Animated portrait of artist with temple in the background — **Image: Rijul Narwal; Artwork: Nisa Khan**

Jomile Kazlauskaite (MA Fashion Photography course at London College of Fashion)

(Instagram: @jomilekazlauskaite, website: www.jomile.eu)

A woman's body has been society's favourite 'object' to have a judgement and opinion on. Colour, shape, type, marks and size. So many things to criticize. Lithuania-based artist, Jomile Kazlauskaite, shares her own stories of being shamed and remarked for the way her body looked during her teenage years, through her raw and strong imagery. She throws stereotypes out of the window and opens the door to explore beauty, power and confidence.

Close up photograph of woman and child — **Image: Rijul Narwal; Artwork: Jomile Kazlauskaite**

Photograph of touching bodies — **Image: Rijul Narwal; Artwork: Jomile Kazlauskaite**

Rijul Narwal is a Social Innovator who's currently pursuing her Master's at London College of Communication.

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XHIBIT: A Private Viewing with Rijul Narwal